Key-holder



(No Model.)

- J. F. WAESOH.

KEY HOLDER. No, 516,320. v Patented Map. 13 1894.

" .721 uanio r.

4 fiknfwae )1 f r v v 50: a

' 1 M an. a; OOOOO wHnesses.

NITED STATES PATENT GFFIGE.

J OHN F. WVAESOH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

KEY-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 516,320, dated March 13, 1894.

Application filed May 1, 1893. Serial No. 472,650. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatl, JOHN F. WAESCH, acitizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of 'Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Key-Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby the key will be retained in the lock, unless purposely removed; thus to pre-.

vent the key from being thrown out of the look, by the jars caused by opening and shutting the door or otherwise.

A i'urther object is to prevent any one from putting another key into the look from the opposite side of the door.

t The accompanying drawings illustrate my lnvention.

Figure 1 is a side view of part of an ordinary mortise lock provided with my invention and havingits cap removed to expose the same. A key is shown in the lock in the positlon in which it is retained by my newlyinvented spring catch or key retainer. Fig. 2 1s a section of part of the lock on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan of the spring catch or key-retainer shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This form is adapted to be applied to any ordinary lock. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of part of a lock with the cap removed showing a form of construction which I deem desirable to be used in case my device is applied to the look at the time of its manufacture. Fig. 5 is a section of part of the lock on line indicated by 5-5 Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the key retaining spring shown in Fig. 4.

L indicates the case of the look.

A A indicate the spring key-retainer.

B indicates the bit of the key.

0 0' indicate the key holes.

D D indicate shoulders or lugs arranged to holdthe key retaining spring in place.

a (1 indicate slight projections or ears arranged at the sides of the spring plate A and adapted to project into thekey holes 0 C to hold the spring in place.

The spring plateA (A) is made of thin steel or other suitable spring metal and is of a total width about equal to the width of the space between the side walls Z Z of the case'of the lock and is curved slightly in cross-section to it into line.

arch across the lock between the key holesO O, as indicated in Fig. 2, in the path of the key so that when the key is inserted in the lock it will engage the spring and compress it until the bit is turned out otline with the key hole as indicated in Fig. 1. When the key is turned into this position out of line of the key hole the spring plate resumes its curved position and thus intercepts the key and holdsit from beingbrought into line with the key hole unless force is exerted to bring The plate is made sufficientlythin to produce a spring which will yield with sufficient freeness to allow the key inserted in the lock to be turned without undue force; but it is made sufficiently stifi? to prevent the key from being accidentally turned'into line with the key hole.

The form of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is adapted to be applied to any ordinary door lock having a key hole, and the plate can be inserted into the look without removing the cap; suitable tweezers being used to insert the plate into thekey hole and turn it intoits position indicated in Fig. 2.

In the form shown in Figs. 4: and 5, retaining lugs or shoulders D and Dare arranged cast integral with the case of the lock and the spring plate A is inserted before the cap Z is put into position.

It is obvious that the retaining spring can be applied in forms and Ways different from that shown, without departing from the spirit of my invention and I therefore do not wish to limit my claim to the specific form of spring shown, but I wish to claim any spring operated face which is arched across the lock and adapted to be pressed downward by the bit of the key when the key is inserted into the lock, and to spring outward into the path of the bit when the bit is turned out of line with the key hole.

When the key is turned so as to be held in the position indicated in Fig. 1, it requires some force to turn the key into position to be drawn out through the key hole and this affords an obstacle to prevent any one from the outside from pushing the key inward out of the lock to'make place for the use of a pass [00 key to unlock the lock.

Now, having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A lock provided at its bottom between the key holes with a spring operated face arched across the lock and adapted to be pressed downward by the bit of the key when the key is forced into the key hole, and to spring upward into the path of the key bit when the key is turned out of line with the key hole.

2. A look provided with a spring plate curved in cross section and arranged between the key holes to arch across the lock in the path of the end of the key bit between the key holes when the retainer is in place in the lock, and provided at its sides with projecacross the lock in the path of the end of the key bit between the key holes when the retainer is in place in the lock, and provided at its sides with projections arranged to project into the key holes of the lock to hold the retainer in place.

JOHN F. WAESCH. Witnesses:

BENJ. O. LUDLoW, J 0s. 0. OLIVER. 

